Who performed the English opening theme for the first Pokémon anime season?

Jason Paige performed the English opening theme for the first Pokémon anime season. The song is commonly known as “Pokémon Theme” and begins with the famous “I wanna be the very best” lyric.

The first season, Pokémon: Indigo League, originally aired in Japan beginning in 1997 and was adapted for English-language audiences in 1998. The English opening helped establish the show’s competitive and adventurous tone while introducing Ash’s goal of becoming a Pokémon Master.

The song was written by John Siegler and John Loeffler, with Paige providing the lead vocal performance. The Japanese opening theme was different: “Aim to Be a Pokémon Master,” performed by Rica Matsumoto. These two songs are sometimes confused because both served as signature openings in their respective versions.

Paige’s recording became strongly associated with the original English dub and later anniversary projects. It is distinct from songs used in later seasons, even though Pokémon retained recurring musical themes and familiar characters.